Do you think driving far for more pay is better than less drive for less pay? Or vice versa?

Question

Specifically I work at a job 45-1hr away and I get paid $12.30/hr. I was considering getting a new job closer to where I'd say the time would be 5-30 minutes away, but might make less...$7-10/hr. I get ok benefits at my current job and the location might be moving closer in the future, but money is tight right now.

Answer 1

I would get the closer job for less pay

Ok so at 12.30 you would make 1968 before taxes. Let's say you get 20 miles to the gallon and you work is 60 miles away.  You use 3 gallons of gas going to work and 3 coming back. You spend $18 a day on gas x 20 days which is $360. Keep in mind this only your gas for driving to and from work.If you make $10 hour you would make1600/month. That is only a difference of 368. Either way you would break even. If is $7/hour you would make 1168/month. A difference of $800/month. I would say if they offer you 9 -10 per hour than take the new job that is closer. If they offer you only 7 or 8 then I would stick with the current job.

Answer 2

how do you commute? car, truck, bus, train, walk, bike?

the cost of the travel is the determining factor here.

Answer 3

This is a question I ask myself all the time.  I have a 65 mile commute EACH WAY, and it consumes 3 hours of my life.  I often get job offers for less money closer to home, but is it really worth it?

I use the following for my determination:

Additional gas and tolls+ Mileage fee for excessive mileage (or delta)+ my hourly rate for my personal time.

So for me, it costs me $30 a week in extra gas an tolls, I use $.35 per mile for an additional 100 miles ($35 per day), and I assume 2 hours of my life back per day at $30 per hour.

So:

(30+(5*35)+(10*30))*52=$26,260 per year.

If you take away the hourly rate for my drive time (since that is more theoretical) it is still $10,660 per year.  

And remember this is all cash out of your pocket, so it is post tax.